Government Business Enterprises (GBEs)
The Government Businesses Advice Branch (GBAB) provides advice to the Australian Government relating to its Government Business Enterprises (GBEs) and other commercial entities.
The branch´s primary tasks in relation to GBEs is to:
- provide sound strategic and analytical advice to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, in particular by engaging with the GBEs, analysing their operations and their environment, and consulting with stakeholders;
- action the Minister's decisions including communicating objectives; and
- ensure that there is a robust and sound governance framework in place by initiating change and contributing to policy development.
Government Business Enterprises (GBEs) are prescribed in regulations [
] under the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997.
The Australian Government´s relationship to its GBEs is similar to the relationship between a holding company and its subsidiaries, features of which include:
- a strong interest in the performance and financial returns of the GBE;
- reporting and accountability arrangements that facilitate active oversight by the shareholder.
- action by the shareholder in relation to the strategic direction of its GBEs where it prefers a different direction from the one proposed.
- management autonomy balanced with regular reporting of performance to shareholders; and
- boards that are accountable to shareholders for GBE performance, and shareholders that are accountable to Parliament and the public.
To enable greater public accountability, the wholly owned GBEs to prepare a Statement of Corporate Intent (SCI) in consultation with Shareholder Ministers.
A SCI focuses on the purpose and corporate outlook of a GBE, and expresses the expectations of its management in relation to future financial and non-financial performance.
The following is a list of the Australian Government´s GBEs, with links to their websites, where available:
ASC Pty Limited []
Australian Government Solicitor []
Australian Postal Corporation []
Australian Rail Track Corporation Limited []
Defence Housing Australia []
Health Services Australia Limited []
Medibank Private Limited []
Other entities which are not prescribed as GBEs but which GBAB also provides advice to the Government in relation to:
Airservices Australia []
Australian River Co - Statement of Intent [
53KB] - Statement of Expectation [
6KB]
Australian Industry Development Corporation - Statement of Intent [ 24KB] - Statement of Expectation [ 7KB]
Albury-Wodonga Corporation []
Export Finance and Insurance Corporation []
Snowy Hydro Limited []
Contact for information on this page: GBE contact